Dollar General

Dollar General opens call for small business vendors

Dollar General has relaunched its annual Call for Small Businesses, inviting U.S.-based small businesses that have not sold at the retailer within the last 18 months to apply online by Aug. 17. Selected applicants may attend virtual meetings with Dollar General’s small business team in the fall. The company’s small business development program offers learning via its SBD Academy, product discovery resources and services that provide funding. Bryan Wheeler, Dollar General’s executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, commented on the retailer’s commitment to engaging a wide variety of vendors. The article also notes Dollar General’s Q1 net sales rose 3.4% year over year to $10.8 billion and references other recent business initiatives such as a pilot subscription service and a new store format.

Parents increasingly use BNPL for back-to-school shopping

A survey by Omnisend of 1,075 U.S. consumers found rising reliance on buy now, pay later (BNPL) for back-to-school purchases: 45% of households plan to use BNPL this season, up from 39% in 2025. About 40% of parents expect to be more financially stressed compared with last year. Nearly 20% of respondents expect to spend more than $1,000 on back-to-school items, and 44% anticipate spending over $500. Omnisend reports nearly one in three households expect BNPL to cover over half of school spending. To fund purchases, parents plan measures including cutting family activities, using credit, dipping into other savings or borrowing from friends/family.

Dollar General Builds Commerce-Focused Retail Media Network

Dollar General is positioning its DG Media Network as a commerce-centric retail media player that connects physical stores, ecommerce, delivery and measurement to influence purchase decisions across channels. Tony Rogers, Dollar General’s CMO, says the ability to track spend from impression to sale is the industry "holy grail." DG Media Network emphasizes integrating store footprint and digital inventory, citing a Smart Campaigns partnership with DoorDash that combines DGMN owned & operated inventory with DG Storefront inventory on DoorDash into unified campaigns. The company argues future retail media leaders will grow beyond pure media to connect commerce ecosystems and deliver more accountable measurement and performance for advertisers.